1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to metal welding using focused energy beams such as laser beams and electron beams. More particularly, it pertains to welding thin sheet metal blades of a fluid coupling or torque converter to a housing spaced from the blade before welding to allow assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Our invention relates generally to a hydrokinetic torque transmitting mechanism and more particularly to improvements in the construction and assembly of components of a bladed hydrokinetic member such as the impeller of a torque converter or fluid coupling.
In a torque converter, the impeller housing defines the outer boundary for the toroidal fluid flow circuit and it also retains the impeller blades and supports them rotatably. Conventionally, blades for a hydrokinetic torque transmitting device are attached to the turbine shell and impeller housing by inserting blade tabs within the toroidal circuit of the unit by bending projections or tabs on the blades through recesses formed in a shroud. This method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,622. Brazing is another conventional technique for connecting the blades to the turbine shell and impeller housing. The connection is made conventionally also by staking the blades to the housing, whereby the blades are inserted into recesses into the housing and the metal of the housing is cold worked and forced against the blade to form a rigid connection.